Device for handling foundry flasks



Nov. 25, 1924. 7 1,516,973

G. F. LOUGHRAN DEVICE FOR HANDLING FOUNDRY FLASKS Filed Nov 1 1922 2 Shoots-Sheet 1 Nov. 25, 1924. 1,516,973

G. F. LOUGHRAN DEVICE FOR HANDLING FOUNDRY FLASKS Filed Nov. 1', 192? 2 Shanta-Sheet 2 qg gdwgm. 6y MA, JAM W,-.7L.

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Patented Nov. 25, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

-FREDERICK C. LANGENBERG, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

DEVICE FOR HANDLING FOUNDRY FLASKS.

Application filed November 1, 1922.

To all whom it may co ncem:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. LOUGI-IRAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massa chusetts, have invented a certain newand useful Improvement in Devices for Handling Foundry Flasks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to apparatus for handling foundry flasks in connection with the operation of molding. In accordance with ,the usual foundry practice, after the pattern has beenput in place and the sand rammed about it in the drag, or bottom section of the flask, it is necessary to turn this flask section bottom side up in order to permit the pattern to be drawn. This involves closing the flask with a temporary cover held in place by clamps and wedges, and then inverting the flask. The turning of the flask has heretofore been done by hand and necessitates the lifting of a considerable weight, the flask with the wet sand and pattern frequently weighing 175 pounds or more, thus imposing heavy labor upon the molder and his assistant, so that two men are usually unable to prepare more than about twenty flasks a day.

This invention has for its object to devise improved mechanical means whereby the temporary cover may be quickly secured in place and the flask lifted and turned with the expenditure of a minimum amount of muscular effort.

The more particular objects of the invention, together with means whereby the same.

may be carried into effect, will best be understood from the following description of one have it understood that-the invention, as de-.

fined by the claims hereunto appended, may be embodied in a variety of forms without departure from its spirit and scope.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation. of the apparatus,

Serial No. 598,306.

illustrating its use in connection with a flask in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2, of

one of the clamps. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of a port-ion of the supporting bar. 7

The device as a, whole, as herein shown, comprises a bar 10 supporting a pair of arms.- 11 which carry at their lower ends clamps for grasping the opposite ends of a flask 12,

said supporting bar being carried by a suit-.. able hoist 13 by which the grapple may be. raised or lowered, and said clainps'beingfso mounted in the arms 11, as hereinafter more fully described, as to permit the flask 12 to be inverted when the same has been lifted by the hoist 13.

As shown, the supporting bar 10 is T- shaped 1n cross section, the vertical flange thereof being turned upwardly and being connected by links 14 with a ring 15 adapted to be engaged by the hook 16 on the hoist- 13, which hoist may be of anysuitable form, but which is preferably provided with an operating chain or other member 17 extended to a convenient point adjacent the foundry floor. The horizontal flange of the. supporting bar 10 carries brackets 18, having portions overlying said flange, as shown inFigure 3, and secured thereto in adjusted position by means of pins .19 passing through said brackets and through any one of a series of holes 20 (Figure 5) in said flange. The arms 11 are pivoted respectively tothe brackets1, as by bolts 21, and are connected below their pivots by a yielding tele scopic strut comprising a tubular member pivoted at to one of said arms,.a rod 23 pivoted. at 26 to the other of said arms and received in said tube, and a spring 24 (Figure interposed between the end of.

said rod and the bottom of said tube, said spring tending to separate said arms.

Each of the arms 1]. has formed at, or has.

secured to, its lower end an eye 27 in which is journalled a hollow trunnion. 28 on a head 'them guideways for a pair of movable clamping members 35 having jaws 36 opposing the jaws 3d of the fixed clamping members 33. The movable clamping membersx35 of" each clamp are normally moved away from the fixed clamping members thereof,

and into a position to open the clamp, by.

means of springs 88 surrounding said members and interposed between the head 29 and pins 39 extending through said clamping members. Also the movable clamping members 35 of each clamp are connected on the opposite side of the head 29 from the jaws 36 thereof by a preferably integral bar portion 37 which is engagedand operated by a-cam 40 (Figs. 2 and 4) having a stem d1 extendingaxially through the hollow trunnion 28 and provided at the outer sideof the corresponding arm 11 with a vice handle 42', whereby said cam may be operatedto move the jaws 36 toward the jaws .Siiaud close-the clamp against the tensiomofv. the springs 38. The cams 40 are preferably so designed as to maintain themselves in adjusted position, so that the clamping members are practically locked in clamping position.

In'opcration, after the. pattern has been put in place in'the flask 12and the sand has been properly rammed, a cover i3 is placed upon said .flask, the armsll of the grapple drawn together against the tension of the spring 2%, and the handles 42 operated to causelt-he-cams L0 to close the clamps against the opposite sides. or ends of the flask and cover, thereby not only grasping said flask but holding said cover in place without the use, of the devices usually employed for this urpose. The hoist 13 isv then operated to ifft the flask, to a suflicient height above the floor vor bench topermit the said flask to be turned, and said flask then inverted into the position shown in Figure 1, the trunnions 2-8 i1r.tl1e eyes 27 permitting the clamps to turn with the flask. their operated to turn, the camsaO in the opposite direction,- permitting the springs 4L8 to open; the clamps, whereupon the spring 24 will swing the arms 11 outwardly, there by disengaging the clamps from the flask.

It'lwill be seen that the turning or invert, ing. of the flask is permitted by the pivotal mounting of theclamps in the arms 11, and, in. order to permit said clamps to turn freely, liidSrClQSllitlDlG that the trunnions of the two clamps be disposed substantially co-axially; To this end the brackets 10 are so adjusted,

The handles L2 are described, two men can readily handle from to flasks a day with less effort than they are able to prepare twenty a day by the methods heretofore in use.

What I claim is: i

l. A device of the character described comprising a bar, means for raisingand" lowering said bar, a pair of arms pivotedto said. bar and adjustable longitudinal-1y thereof, and means carried by said arms respectively for grasping a foundry flask and permitting the same to be turned.

2. A device of the character described comprising a bar, means for raising-and lowering said bar, a pair of brackets carried by said bar and adjustable longitudi'nallv thereof, arms pivoted to said brackets' spectively, and means carried by said arms respectively for grasping a foundry flask and permitting the same to be turned.

3. A combined grapple and hoist for foundry flasks. having a pair ofarms and clamps pivotally carried by said arms re spectively, .said clamps each comprising a pair of relatively movable jaws.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a bar, means for raising. and lowering said bar, a pair of armspivoted to said bar, and clamps pivo'tally carried'by said arms respectively, said clamps" each. comprising a pair of relatively movable jaws.

5. A combined grapple and foundry flasks having a pair of pivoted arms, clamps pivotally carried by said arms respectively, said clamps being adapted respectively to grasp the opposite sides of a flask. meansfor closing said clamps, and springs for opeuingthe same.

6. A combined grapple and hoist for foundry flasks having; a pair of clamps mounted to turn-on substantially co-axial pivots, said :clamps each comprising a pair of relatively movable jaws.

7. A device of the character described comprising a support having a pair of arms, a hoist for said support, heads having trunnions journalled in saidarms, respectively, clamps ca-rried'by said heads, and means for operating said .clam-ps.

S. A device of the character described comprising a support having a pair of arms, a hoist for said support and heads having hollow trunnions journalled in, said arms respecth'ely, each of said heads having afixed clamping member, a clamping member movs able thereon toward and from said fined clamping member, and a cam for operating said movable clan'rping member, said cam hoist for r having an operating stem extending through said hollow trunnion.

9. A device of the character described comprising a bar, a hoistfor raising and lowering said bar, arms pivoted to said bar, heads pivoted to said arms respectively, a pair of clamping members carried by each of said heads, and an operating device for the clamping members of each pair.

10. A device of the character described comprising a bar, means for raising and lowering said bar, a pair of brackets carried by said bar and adjustable longitudinally thereof arms pivoted to said brackets respectively, heads pivoted to said arms respectively, and clamping members carried by each of said heads.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE W. LOUGHRAN. 

